Heat sink and method for manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A heat sink composed of a fin set and a seat and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. One side of the seat is provided with a plurality of rail rods whose cross sections are of a hook shape. One side of the fin set is formed with a plurality of slots corresponding to the rail rods. Thus the fin set and the seat can be assembled by engagement of the rail rods and slots. A press mold is employed to press the rail rods, thus the rail rods are deformed to make the fin set and seat tightly engage with each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The invention generally relates to heat sinks, particularly to assembling of fins and a seat.

2. Related Art

An ordinary aluminum heat sink is composed of fins and a seat, which are separately formed and then assembled together. And great thermal conductivity must be formed between the fins and seat. FIGS. 1A and 1B show a typical assembling method of fins and seat. One side of the seat 1 is cut by a scraping cutter to form a plurality of parallel deep slots 11 and shallow slots 12, which are alternately arranged. The fins 2 are separately embedded in the deep slots 11. Then a press mold 3 like a knife is inserted into a gap between two fins 2 to press the shallow slots 12. The shallow slots 12 are deformed outwards to tightly nip the fins 2. Thus the fins and seat can be tightly assembled together.

However, there is a serious drawback in the above method. Both the scraper cutter for cutting the slots 11, 12 and the press mold 3 for pressing the shallow slots 12 must be very sharp. Their knives tend to be blunt, cracked or misshapen, so they must be often maintained and replaced. Not only will the production cost increase but also the replacement operation must interrupt the production process. Therefore, it is very uneconomical to the manufactures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to reduce production cost and to shorten tact time by not employing scraper cutter and knife-shaped press mold.

To accomplish the above object, the invention provides a heat sink and a method for manufacturing the same. The heat sink is composed of a fin set and a seat. One side of the seat is provided with a plurality of rail rods whose cross sections are of a hook shape. One side of the fin set is formed with a plurality of slots corresponding to the rail rods. Thus the fin set and the seat can be assembled by engagement of the rail rods and slots. A press mold is employed to press the rail rods, thus the rail rods are deformed to make the fin set and seat tightly engage with each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B show a conventional method for manufacturing a heat sink;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 5A and 5B show a comparison of the first embodiment before and after pressing;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the first embodiment after pressing;

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a comparison of the second embodiment before and after pressing;

FIGS. 8A and 8B show a comparison of the third embodiment before and after pressing;

FIGS. 9A and 9B show a comparison of the fourth embodiment before and after pressing;

FIGS. 10A and 10B show a comparison of the fifth embodiment before and after pressing;

FIGS. 11A and 11B show a comparison of the sixth embodiment before and after pressing;

FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the seventh embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the eighth embodiment of the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the first embodiment of the invention. The heat sink of the invention is composed of a seat 4 and a fin set 5. If needed, one or more heat pipes 6 additionally disposed to connect the seat 4 to the fin set 5. One side of the seat 4 to be connected with the fin set 5 is provided with a plurality of parallel rail rods 41 whose cross sections are of a hook shape. In the shown embodiment, the cross section of the rail rod 41 is of a T shape. The fin set 5 is composed of a plurality of fins stacking up with each other. The bottom of the fin set 5 is formed with a plurality of slots 51 corresponding to the rail rods 41. The seat 4 and fin set 5 can be assembled together by embedding the rail rods 41 into the slots 51. Additionally, the seat 4 and fin set 5 may be separately provided with semicircular troughs 42, 52. A pair of semicircular troughs 42, 52 may form a circular trough for accommodating a heat pipe 6.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are an assembled perspective view and cross sectional view of the first embodiment of the invention, respectively. By engaging of the T-shaped rail rods 41 and slots 51, the seat 4 and fin set 5 has been connected but not tightly assembled yet. Next, as can be seen in FIG. 5A, a press mold 7 is embedded into a gap between two adjacent fins of the fin set 5 to press the rail rods 41. The press mold 7 has a specific outline for pressing two opposite ends of the T-shaped rail rods 41. The rail rods 41 are thus deformed by this pressing, and the fin set 5 is also deformed. As a result, the seat 4 and fin set 5 are tightly assembled together as shown in FIGS. 5B and 6.

The shape of the rail rod 41 is not limit to the T shape as abovementioned. Any other shapes which can perform a hooking effect are available. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the rail rods 41 a have a cross section of an inverted-L shape. Of course, shape of the press mold 7 a must be modified correspondingly, so that it can press a distal end of the inverted-L-shaped rail rods 41 a. Thus the rail rods 41 a are deformed to make the fin set 5 a and seat 4 a tightly assembled together. FIGS. 8A and 8B show a T-shaped rail rod 41 b with an indent on the center of the horizontal bar. Also, shape of the press mold 7 b must be modified correspondingly, so that it can press the horizontal bar of the T-shaped rail rods 41 b. Thus the rail rods 41 b are deformed to make the fin set 5 b and seat 4 b tightly assembled together. FIGS. 9A and 9B show a rectangular rail rod 41 c with a groove 411 c on the top thereof. Also, shape of the press mold 7 c must be modified correspondingly, so that it can press the groove 411 c of the rail rods 41 c. Two side walls of the groove 411 c are toppled into a V shape. Thus the rail rods 41 c are deformed to make the fin set 5 c and seat 4 c tightly assembled together. FIGS. 10A and 10B show a T-shaped rail rod 41 the same as the first embodiment abovementioned, but the press mold 7 d is different in shape, so that it can equally press the horizontal bar of the T-shaped rail rods 41 to make the vertical bar thereof deformed. Thus the rail rods 41 are deformed to make the fin set 5 and seat 4 tightly assembled together. FIGS. 11A and 11B show a hollow fin set 5 e and a cuboidal seat 4 e penetrating the fin set 5 e. Four sides of the cuboidal seat 4 e are separately provided with four T-shaped rail rods 41 e and four corresponding slots 51 e are formed inside the fin set 5 e. The rail rods 41 e are pressed by a press mold to be deformed. Thus the fin set 5 e and seat 4 e are tightly assembled together. FIG. 12 shows a hollowly cuboidal seat 4 e′ similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11. The hollow seat 4 e′ may add an air passage. Apart from this, anything else is the same. FIG. 13 shows a substantially cylindrical seat 4 f and a floral fin set 5 f with a slot 51 f corresponding to the seat 4 f.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

1. A heat sink comprising: a seat, being provided with a plurality of parallel rail rods on one side thereof, wherein a cross section of each of the rail rods is of a hook shape; and a fin set, being formed with a plurality of slots corresponding to the rail rods; wherein the rail rods are separately accommodated in the slots, and the seat and the fin set are tightly assembled together by deformation of the rail rods.
 2. The heat sink of claim 1, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is T-shaped and the slots are the same in shape.
 3. The heat sink of claim 1, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is inverted-L-shaped and the slots are the same in shape.
 4. The heat sink of claim 1, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is of a T-shape with an indent at a center of a horizontal bar thereof and the slots are T-shaped.
 5. The heat sink of claim 1, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is Y-shaped and the slots are T-shaped.
 6. The heat sink of claim 1, wherein the seat is a cuboid and the fin set has a hollow for accommodating the seat.
 7. The heat sink of claim 6, wherein sides of the seat are provided with a plurality of rail rods and the fin set is provided with corresponding slots.
 8. The heat sink of claim 6, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is T-shaped and the slots are the same in shape.
 9. The heat sink of claim 7, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is T-shaped and the slots are the same in shape.
 10. The heat sink of claim 6, wherein the cuboidal seat is hollow.
 11. A method for manufacturing a heat sink, comprising the steps of: a) providing a seat, wherein the seat is provided with a plurality of parallel rail rods on one side thereof, and a cross section of each of the rail rods is of a hook shape; and b) providing a fin set, wherein the fin set is formed with a plurality of slots corresponding to the rail rods; c) embedding the rail rods into the slots; and d) pressing the rail rods to be deformed, so that the seat and the fin set are tightly assembled together.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is T-shaped and the slots are the same in shape.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is inversed-L-shaped and the slots are the same in shape.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is of a T-shape with an indent at a center of a horizontal bar thereof and the slots are T-shape.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is Y-shaped and the slots are T-shaped.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the seat is a cuboid and the fin set has a hollow for accommodating the seat.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein sides of the seat are provided with a plurality of rail rods and the fin set is provided with corresponding slots.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is T-shaped and the slots are the same in shape.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the cross section of each of the rail rods is T-shaped and the slots are the same in shape.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the cuboidal seat is hollow. 